Mega Millions jackpot hits $400 million

Tribune wire reports

Though it's not the all-time record, the Mega Millions prize has once again climbed to $400 million after weeks without a winner.

The lottery swelled to its third biggest jackpot in game history after no one hit all six numbers Friday. The $400 million prize is the sixth largest ever in the United States, behind two Mega Millions and three Powerball jackpots.

The next drawing will be held Tuesday. Tickets will be sold until 9:45 p.m. Pacific time, with the drawing at 10 p.m.

The jackpot, after taxes, would have an estimated cash value of $224.8 million, according to the lottery. The game is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The store where a winning ticket is sold can receive up to $1 million in winnings depending on the size of the jackpot, virtually assuring that whoever sells the winning ticket Tuesday will get a seven-figure bonus of their own.

The largest lottery jackpot ever was a Mega Millions drawing in 2012 for $656 million. That prize was split among winners in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland.

In October, the lottery adjusted its rules, which has contributed to larger jackpots. The lottery now pulls from a pool of 75 white balls and 15 yellow or mega balls. The change has allowed for more lower tiered winners, but has made the top prize even harder to come by.